Contribute to feeding the nation as a crop scientist.

Have you ever wondered where the milk for your cappuccino or the yoghurt on your muesli comes from? Well, not just from a cow, but from a humble seed. It’s very important to have good quality seed, which in turn produces good quality crops that animals, like cows, can feed on. Farmers rely on these animals to feed the nation, as they are able to get good quality produce from them such as milk and meat. But you don’t only have to be a farmer to feed the nation. You can make a valuable contribution as a crop scientist.

A bad crop means a bad harvest

Just as much as you enjoy a healthy meal, animals also need to eat healthy and nutritious feed. Their feed is important for their health and to produce quality milk, eggs, meat and other byproducts. The quality of the seed you plant for feed is paramount for good quality crops or a good harvest. Farmers benefit a lot from the assistance they get from the local seed company’s crop scientist. A crop scientist can help farmers produce good quality feed for their animals.

The role of a crop scientist

Crop scientists provide relevant knowledge to growers while performing duties such as scouting fields for weeds, insects and diseases. Make accurate recommendations to farmers to achieve the highest yield. Crop scientists will guide the growers and farmers on the correct crop nutrition and different methods of protection technology and fertilizers. There is a growing demand for healthier, good quality, locally grown products, so crop scientists can help farmers achieve this in order to increase sales locally and internationally. Therefore, a crop scientist’s role is to help farmers grow the best quality crops for the consumption by people and animals.

Who can become a crop scientist?

First off, to qualify for the job the following personal attributes are essential:

• Enjoy growing crops and developing something new.
• Are able to work with large amounts of numerical data.
• Have the ability to plan ahead and be patient.
• Enjoy travelling and a variety of activities in your daily work.
• Are aware of trends in the environment.

With the above in mind, you also need to pass Grade 12, get accepted to a university, and work hard in order to qualify as a crop scientist. You need to get good marks in Maths and Physical Science, because the qualifications are demanding, but interesting too. After completing Grade 12, consider applying for a BSc Plant Production, Horticulture or Seed Science.

For information on this and more, check the SANSOR website as well as our Facebook or Instagram page.